Pinggangling Underground Great Wall

Pinggangling Underground Great Wall

The Pinggangling Underground Great Wall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Pinggangling Underground Great Wall is located 20 kilometers north of Pingxiang City. Constructed in 1889, it was a military defense system built under the supervision of Su Yuanchun, the Guangxi Viceroy during the late Qing Dynasty, while he was overseeing border defense affairs. Based on the terrain of the Ping’er River, the boundary river between China and Vietnam, it features two artillery forts on Pinggangling Mountain—one in the north and one in the south—connected by a grand underground passage that leads directly to the China-Vietnam border river. Spanning over 1,000 meters in total length, it is thus called the “Underground Great Wall.” The site includes barracks, a command room, a water reservoir, a meeting room, an ammunition depot, and more. The entire underground structure is ingeniously designed, easy to defend but hard to attack, and truly remarkable.

The Pinggangling Underground Great Wall was built in 1889 as a military defense system under the supervision of Su Yuanchun, the Guangxi Border Defense Viceroy during the late Qing Dynasty. Taking advantage of the terrain along the Ping’er River—the boundary river between China and Vietnam—it features two artillery forts constructed on Pinggangling Mountain, each equipped with a German Krupp cannon and several smaller guns. The northern fort’s large cannon was moved to Nanning’s “Zhennin Fort” (now within People’s Park) in the 9th year of the Republic of China (1921) by the Guangxi warlord Lu Rongting. The two forts are connected by a grand underground passage that extends all the way to the China-Vietnam border river, spanning over 1,000 meters in total, hence the name “Underground Great Wall.” The Pinggangling Forts played a glorious role in the Sino-French War, the Liberation War, and the War to Aid Vietnam and Resist America.

In February 1950, the 134th Division of the 45th Army of the People’s Liberation Army engaged in a battle against the remaining forces of the Kuomintang at Pinggangling and Ping’erguan. After two days and nights of fierce fighting, they completely annihilated 6,715 troops from Bai Chongxi’s western Guangxi remnants and the KMT’s 100th Army, 19th Division, and 197th Division. This marked the final campaign on the southern frontier of Guangxi during the Liberation War, historically known as the Ping’erguan Campaign.

Transportation Guide

Scenic Area Address: 20 kilometers north of Pingxiang City

Transit Routes: Take a bus from Chongzuo to Pingxiang, then transfer to a local shuttle bus to reach the scenic area.